“I’m so happy for him” – Pep Guardiola admits pride at Vincent Kompany and Mikel Arteta success

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted his pride at witnessing the managerial successes of both Mikel Arteta and Vincent Kompany. 

Arsenal and Burnley – who are managed by former Manchester City assistant coach Mikel Arteta and club legend Vincent Kompany respectively – top the first two divisions in English football. 

The Gunners currently top the Premier League table by a five point margin, while Burnley look set for a return to the top-flight, sitting comfortably at the top of the Sky Bet Championship.

Arteta worked under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium as an assistant coach to the Catalan tactician, helping the Blues to a Premier League title triumph before becoming Arsenal boss in 2019.

Meanwhile Vincent Kompany, who has a statue outside of the Etihad Stadium, made a total of 360 appearances for the Sky Blues, winning 12 pieces of silverware, including four Premier League titles.

Kompany replaced Sean Dyche at Turf Moor in the summer, leaving RSC Anderlecht in his native Belgium.

The former Manchester City centre-back made 62 appearances under Pep Guardiola and announced his retirement from football in 2020.

Both Kompany and Arteta are ultimately having success as managers, something Pep Guardiola has admitted his pride at, speaking ahead of the FA Cup fourth round clash against Arsenal on Friday night.

“What Arsenal does, it belongs exclusively to him (Mikel Arteta). And Vinny (Kompany), what he does at Burnley, I’m so happy for him, and hopefully next season they can be in the Premier League, because Vinny deserves the best – it belongs absolutely to him and the staff and the players.”

Manchester City currently rival Arsenal in the Premier League title race, with the two sides yet to meet in the top-flight season and just five points currently separating the Gunners and the Sky Blues.

The North London side have had an incredible start to the campaign, amassing 50 points at the halfway stage.

Former Manchester City stars Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus both moved to the Emirates from the Etihad in the summer, and Guardiola has admitted that he hopes his side’s supporters can celebrate their previous successes for the Blues.

“How many fans do we have? I’d have to speak to every one of them to know exactly their opinion. I don’t know the opinion of the fans. I would love to know it.

“So the fact that if one person writes one sentence in the newspaper or on a podcast or wherever, that doesn’t mean it’s the reality of what the fans think.

“I’m pretty sure they’re delighted for what Gabriel (Jesus) and Aleks (Zinchenko) have done for us. Delighted. But this happens in life.”